Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32
स्कन्दसरः (Skandasara) — तीर्थवर्णनम् / Description of the Skandasara Sacred Lake
कंठे नागेन मौलौ च शशांकेनाप्यलंकृतम् । सविग्रहमिवैश्वर्यं सामर्थ्यमिव सक्रियम्
kaṃṭhe nāgena maulau ca śaśāṃkenāpyalaṃkṛtam | savigrahamivaiśvaryaṃ sāmarthyamiva sakriyam
Il était orné d’un serpent à la gorge et de la lune sur la couronne ; ainsi sa souveraineté divine semblait comme incarnée, et sa puissance sans limite paraissait comme en acte.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; iconographic markers (serpent at throat, moon on crown) align with pan-Indic Mahādeva imagery used in many sthala traditions.
Significance: Contemplative benefit: dhyāna on Śiva’s aiśvarya (sovereignty) and sāmarthya (effective power) as ‘embodied’ strengthens bhakti and reliance on Pati rather than on worldly supports (pāśa).
FAQs
The verse contemplates Shiva’s auspicious, visible marks (serpent and moon) to reveal His aiśvarya (sovereignty) and sāmarthya (effective power). In Shaiva understanding, meditating on these signs steadies devotion and points to the Lord as the living source of protection, grace, and liberation.
It supports Saguna-upāsanā: the mind is given sacred attributes to hold—Shiva as the adorned Lord. Such contemplation naturally leads to Linga worship, where the formless reality (Nirguṇa) is approached through a sanctified support (Saguna symbol) for concentration and surrender.
Practice dhyāna on Shiva’s form while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), visualizing the moon on His head and the serpent at His throat; this trains the mind to see His power as present and active, supporting steadiness in japa and pūjā.